What Makes Personal Training So ‘Personal’?

Fitness is a personal thing; our bodies are all very different – both physically and physiologically speaking, so when it comes to personal training and working with a PT, we all require different things – even if our end goals are the same. Dubai is a sporty city – most people are into their fitness, so it’s a pretty good place to be a Personal Trainer. The thing is, it’s often seen as a bit of a luxury to have a Personal Trainer, and yet more and more of us are opting for the one-on-one sessions to achieve our fitness goals – even if the prices are steeper than your average gym session. So what’s the draw?

I wanted to find out more about the PT trend, and what exactly makes it so ‘personal’ to each individual, to see if I would benefit more from a PT session, as opposed to one of my gym’s group HIIT classes for example. I caught up with Dubai-based Personal Trainer, Katie Moore of Moore Fitness, to find out how ‘personal’ and therefore valuable, her method of training really is.

1. Do people have particular preconceptions about personal training?Katie:Yes they do; they either think the only people who have PTs are celebrities, or those who are injured. Or they assume that the Personal Trainer won’t add any value.

2. So why should people invest in personal training?Katie:There are no two ways about it – personal training is expensive compared to a group gym class and for that reason you really must do your research to make sure you are getting the best value for your money. This is what you should expect when working with a Personal Trainer:

i. They should listen to what your health and fitness goals are and then write a plan according to how you are going to achieve them;
ii. The plans each week should be varied and well thought through, making sure your body is constantly challenged so you see the results;
iii. They should correct your form and remind you of the correct form whilst doing the exercises; and
iv. They are there to hold you accountable for when you don’t feel like doing that training session and then to motivate you through it! A good personal trainer should feel as passionate as you do about achieving your fitness goals!

3. What is the first thing you assess about a client who comes to you to train?Katie:I always sit down and just chat with them! I really want to understand what it is they are looking to achieve, what training they have done in the past, what they have found works for them and what doesn’t. Then I explain to them my style of training AND that I absolutely do not believe in quick fixes or crash diets. Any client I work with needs to understand that this is going to be a lifestyle change as I want their results to last long term.

4. How do you go about tailoring a training regime?Katie: For the training plan we look at the ultimate goal and date by which we are looking to achieve it. We then break that down to weekly targets and finally daily sessions. Based on the number of sessions the client is having with me and what other training they might be doing I then write the plan accordingly.

5. Why do you think people choose to train with you?Katie: The feedback from my clients has been that they enjoy training with me because I am truly passionate about health and fitness. I don’t see individual training sessions, I see full lifestyle goals, which means we discuss eating, strength training, cardio training, Pilates, yoga – EVERYTHING.

6. How do you motivate your clients?Katie: The motivation is that they understand that I am giving 100% to them so that they can reach their goal, so they too are expected to give 100%.

8. What are five things that you expect from your client when they come to train?Katie: I don’t actually need five things, I just want two things: commitment and willingness to try their best. If you give your trainer these two things you have a willing formula!

9. How important is it to wear the right fitness gear?Katie: We are so lucky that there is awesome fitness gear available whatever your price point, so don’t feel like you have to buy the uber expensive brands to get good sports gear – there are a number of brands that have ventured into the sports market. Whatever price point you are going for make sure to check the fabric; you want good quality fabric which will stretch with you when you are moving and will allow excess heat to dissipate quickly.

10. What sort of footwear would you suggest that clients invest in?Katie: Footwear is really important and it definitely depends on the type of training that you are doing. I have three styles of footwear depending on whether I am doing cardio, squatting or deadlifting. However, if you’re just starting out then a supportive lightweight trainer is best.

11. What are the core components of a training regime with Moore Fitness?Katie: I think if you have read all of the above you are starting to get an understanding. If you choose to train with Moore Fitness, our aim is to work with you to get your results and we want the results to last. I can’t say I train in one style as I don’t; all of my clients are individual and like different things to which I tailor the sessions accordingly.

So based on my session, it’s all about setting and managing expectations in my opinion – you put in what you get out with personal training, and if you want to maximise your full potential then it’s all about finding the right Personal Trainer for you. Some people respond well to being shouted at for an hour – a bootcamp style of training, whereas others will prefer to take a more softly softly approach, which is also fine, provided you both know what the aim of the session is, what your limits are and how far you are willing to push yourself. It’s up to your PT to learn enough about you and how you function to deliver a training schedule that pushes you hard enough to see the results you are looking to achieve – and to enjoy your sessions at the same time! Oh and rest days are a thing – don’t let anybody persuade you otherwise.